Transferring apparatus



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. H. RICHARDS.

TBANSFERRING APPARATUS.

No. 579,451. Patented Mar. 23, 1897.,

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(No Model.)

, 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. F. H. RICHARDS. TRANSFERRING APPARATUS.

Inventor".-

Patented Mar. 23, 1897.

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(NO Model.) 3 Sheets-Shet s.

F. H; RICHARDS. TRANSFEREING APPARATUS.

No. 579,451. Patented Mar. 23, 1897.

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Wizngsse s Mrs STATES Arnivr rrrcn,

TRANSFERRING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.

579,451, dated March 23, 1897.

Application filed De m 2, 1896. Serial No. 614,188. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at l-Iartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transferring Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of transferrin a aratus em 10 *ed for transferring material-such as grain-from one car to another or to a warehouse, and which apparatus is generally termed a transferring-car.

One object of my present invention is to furnish an improved transferring apparatus of the class specified embodying improved elevating apparatus and weighing mechanism the organization of which is such that grain or analogous material may be readily transferred from a source of supply-such as a car-to a remote place of deposit-such as another carprogressivel y in successive separated loads or charges and weighed in transz'ztt without interrupting the progressive movement of the successive loads and to accom plish this with rapidity and economy.

A further object of the invention is to furnish a transferring apparatus of the class specified embodying a transportable carrier or fraineworksuch as a car-body; a weighing-machine supported on the carrier; two elevators or conveyors supported side by side at opposite sides, respectively, of the weighing-machine and each having a series of circumferentially -disposed compartments or pockets located between the axis and periphery thereof; a supply-chute and a deliverychute located, respectively, below and above the axis of rotation of each conveyor, the delivery-chute of one conveyor extending from the upper portion of said conveyor to the receiver of the weighing-machine and the supply-chute of the adjacent conveyer extending fronrthe discharger of said weighingmachine to the lower portion of said conveyer; a compartment-closer located between the supply and delivery chutes of each conveyor and adapted for retaining material in the compartments thereof until said compartments arrive successively. in juxtaposition to the delivery-chute, and means for rotating the two conveyers.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a transferring apparatus of the class specified improved cooperative elevating and weighing mechanism, the constructions and organizations of which as a whole will be compact and well balanced and will occupy but a comparatively small portion of the space of the car-bod y.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partially in section, of a transferring apparatus of the class specified embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan View, partially in section, of the transferring apparatus as seen from above in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of the transferring apparatus, on a relatively large scale, a portion of the opposite ends of the car-body being broken away. Fig. 4: is a crossseetional view, on the same scale as Fig. 3, of the transferrin g apparatus, taken on a line corresponding with the dotted line a a, Fig. 3, and looking toward the right hand in said figure, said figure also showing at the right and left hand, respectively, portions of a supplying and a receiving car and also showing the chutes between the supplying-ear and the transferring-car and between the transferring-car and the receiving-car. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of one of the rolls which support the rotary conveyor, and Fig. 6 is a similar sectional view of the combined driving and supporting roll.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

To avoid confusion in reading the drawings and to more clearly illustrate those features which are essential to the invention, certain non-essential parts of the transferring-car such as the trucks, brakes, and other elements common to ordinary cars have been either wholly omitted or but partially illustrated in the drawings, and it will be understood that the car will in practice be supported on trucks in any usual or wellknown manner and be provided with the usual accessories.

In the preferred form thereof shown in the accompanying drawings the transferring apparatus or transfer-car, as it may be hereinafter termed, comprises a transportable carrier or car body which will be supported on trucks in anysuitable manner, propelling mechanism for said car-body, an elevating apparatus comprising two rotary elevatingconveyers peripherally supported one at each side the longitudinal axis of the car-body and each having a series of compartments or pockets located within the peripheral line of said conveyer and open at their inner ends, one or more weighing-machines supported on the car-body between the two conveyers, a supply-chute and a delivery-chute located, respectively, below and above the axis of rotation of each conveyor, and the deliverychute of the first conveyor having its receiv ing end located below and in juxtaposition to the upper compartments of said conveyer and having its discharge end in communication with the receiver of the weighing-machines, and the supply-chute of the second conveyor having its receiving end located below the discharger of the weighing-machines and having its discharge end located above and in juxtaposition to the lower compartments of said conveyor, means for rotating the two conveyors, and a closer located between the supply-chute and delivery-chute of each conveyer and adapted for closing the compartments of the conveyors during their travel from their receiving to their discharging positions, all of which will be hereinafter more fully described.

The transportable carrier (designated in a general way by O) is shown somewhat similar in a general way to a box-car of ordinary construction, said car-carrier comprising a box-like framework or housing in which are located certain elements of the transferring apparatus and which box-like framework will in practice be carried in a manner similar to the box-car bodies of ordinary construction upon suitable trucks, of which the wheels 7 and the axle 7 only are shown in the drawings.

The carrier or framework of the transfer apparatus, which is designated in a general way by E, is shown in the drawings similar to an ordinary box-car with the exception that the opposite sides are shown depressed near the middle portion of the length of the car, and strengthening-beams 8 and 8 are provided one at each side of the car and extend longitudinally thereof, which beams constitute suitable supports for sustaining the weight of the transferring apparatusto wit, the elevating-conveyers and associated instrumentalities,which will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the organization of mechanism shown in the drawings two weighing machines (designated by P and P, respectively,) are provided, set one in advance of the other, with their hoppers H and H, respectively, in close proximity to one another. machines are supported upon the floor of the car-body, preferably midway between the two side walls and end walls of said body.

Inasmuch as any suitable weighing mechanism capable of automatically weighin g and Those weighing discharging material as it is supplied thereto may be employed in connection with the transfer apparatus, (hereinafter more fully described,) I have for convenience shown in connection with said transferring apparatus weighing-machines such as shown and described in Letters Patent No. 5%,840 granted to me October 29, 1895, to which reference may be had for a more complete description than here given of the construction and operation of this class of weighing-machines, and as both weighingmachines P and P shown in the drawings are of substantially the same construction, organization, and operation a brief description of one of said machines will suffice for an understanding of the operation of both. It is desired to state in this connection that while it is preferable to employ two weighing-machines in connection with the transferring apparatus one machine only of suitable capacity may be employed.

The framework for carrying the operative parts of the weighing-machine may be of any suitable construction, and it is shown comprising two side frames or uprights 2 and 4, mounted upon a chambered supporting-base 3 and connected at their upper ends by a top plate 5, to which any suitable hopper, such as H, is secured by some suitable means. The base 3 carries suitable beam-supports for supporting the beam mechanism, which latter is shown consisting of two oppositely-disposed counterweighted scale-beams B and B.

The beam mechanism carries at proper points thereof suitable supports for the bucket or load-recehrer, which latter is shown at G and is of the well-known single-chambered type. The bucket G will be so disposed as to receive the mass of material conducted thereto in the form of a supply-stream from the hopper H.

The bucket G will be provided with the usual bucket-closer, (not shown,) pivotally supported at the lower end of the bucket near one side thereof, and it will have a counterweighted arm for maintaining the closer normally in its closed position.

As a means for controlling the supplystream which flows into the weighin g-machine a valve is provided, which is pivoted for oscillatory movement 011a bracket 5, depending from the top plate of the machine.

As a means for actuating the valve for opening the same any suitable valve-actuating mechanism may be employed, preferably the valve-actuating mechanism described in Letters Patent No. 5%,8a0, hereinbefore referred to.

The remaining mechanism of the weighingmachine may be substantially the same as that described in the patent hereinbefore referred to, it being understood that the operations of each weighing-machine are automatic.

The elevating apparatus of the transfer car, in the preferred form thereof shown in the drawings, comprises two rotary elevating-conveyers, (designated in a general way by D and D, respectively,) one of which embodies instrumentalities whereby material may be conveyed upward from a point near the floor-line of the car-body and discharged into the hoppers of the weighing-machines and the other of which embodies instrumentalities whereby the material after being weighed may be conveyed from the weighing-machines upward to a pointnear the roof line of the car to be discharged into a chute leading to some other place of deposit, such as a receiving-car R. (Shown in Fig. 4..)

The two rotary elevating-conveyers D and D are shown supported peripherally by means of suitable track-rolls 0', one conveyer at each side of theweighing-machines, with their axis of rotation coincident, said conveyers being vertically disposed and being of a diameter sufficient to carry material from a point below the floor-line of the car-body to a point in close proximity to the roof-line.

I11 the drawings the two elevating-conveyers are shown of substantially duplicate construction, and for this reason corresponding parts of the two conveyers will be designated by similar characters, and a detailed description of one of said conveyers will suffice for both in so far as the construction and operation of each conveyer are concerned.

Each elevating-conveyer, in the preferred form thereof shown in the drawings, is in the nature of an axiallyrecessed drum or internally-channeled annulus divided circumferentially and transversely by partitions 12 into a series of compartments or pockets 13,

open at their inner ends, said conveyers comprising a circular rim 14, having two inwardly-projecting ann ular side flanges 1 5 and 15. This rotary con veyeris, as before stated, peripherallysupported at different points by track-rolls 9', said track-rolls being herein shown as four in number and provided with flanges 16 and 16 at opposite ends thereof which engage the opposite side walls of the conveyer and hold the same against vibratory movement, said rolls being supported on shafts 17, journaled at opposite ends in suitable bearings on the framework of the apparatus, the lower rolls being shown supported in journal-bearin gs bolted to the strengthening-beams 8 and 8, located at opposite sides of the car-body, and also bolted at opposite ends to the under side of the floor-beams.

As a means for rotating the two conveyers simultaneously one lower roll of each 0011- veyer is shown furnished with peripheral teeth 18, which mesh with peripheral teeth 19 on the conveyer, and the shaft 17 of said roll is furnished with a sprocket-wheel 20, which is driven from the sprocket-wheel 21 through the means of a sprocket-chain 22, which sprocket-wheel 21 is mounted on a shaft 23, journaled in suit-able bearings on the framework and provided with a sprocketwheel 24, which is driven from a sprocketwheel 25, mounted on the driving-shaft 26 of a motor M, which motor is herein shown as a small upright-engine. It will be understood, however, that an y suitable means may be employed for rotating the conveyers and that I do not desire to limit this invention to the particular rotating mechanism shown in the drawings and herein described.

For the purpose of stopping the rotation of the conveyers the shaft 23 will be furnished with some suitable clutch device in operative relation with the sprocket-wheel 2 1, whereby upon a movement of said clutch the sprocket-wheel may be thrown into and out of operative engagement with said sprocketwheel, a hand-lever 27 being provided for shifting the clutch into and out of engagement with said sprocket-wheel 24.

It is desired to state in the above connection that while it is preferable to employ an annular conveyer such as shown in the drawings for transferring material from the lower to the upper part of the car I do not wish to limit this invention to a conveyer of annular construction, as other forms of rotary conveyers might be employed in connection with other novel instrumentalities herein de scribed within the scope and limits of my invention.

As a means for conducting material to and from the rotary conveyers I have provided in connection with each conveyer a supplychute S and a delivery-chute S, which are transversely disposed with relation to the path of movement of the conveyers, the supply-chute of the conveyer D being shown extending through the side wall of the car-body at the middle portion of the length thereof and having its discharge end extending below the floor-line of said car-body and terminating at a point just above the lower portion of said conveyer and in position to successively fill the successive pockets or compartments 13 during the rotation of said conveyer, the outer receiving end of said chute being located in convenient position to receive material from the supply-car R. In practice the chute S may be hinged to the car-body and constitute a closer for the opening of the side wall of said carbody.

The delivery-chute S of the conveyer D is located with its receiving end just below the open ends of the upper compartments or pockets of the conveyer and extends diagonally to and has its discharge end terminated above the hoppers of the two weighing-machines, this discharge end of the chute S bein g divided centrally by an inverted-V-shaped partition 29 into two conduits, which control the downflowing stream of material to the two hoppers of the two weighing-machines, respectively. This construction of deliverychute may, however, be changed as circumstances may require. For instance, the dividin g partition 29 of said chute may be dispensed with if but one weighing-machine is employed.

The supply-chute S of the second conveyer 1) is located diagonally between the discharger of the weighing-machines and the lower compartments of the conveyer. The receiving end of said chute being in position to receive material as it is discharged from the weighing-machine and the discharging end thereof being located in position to deliver said material to the successive lower compartments or pockets of said conveyer during the rotation thereof,tl1e delivery-chute S of said second conveyer D will have its re ceiving end located below the upper compartments of said conveyer in position to receive material as it is discharged from the conveyer, and said chute will extend diagonally through the upper portion of the side wall of the carbody and have its discharge en d located in position to deliver the material into an adjacent receiving-car, as R. (See Fig. 4 of the drawings.)

By reference to Figs. 3 and 4: of the drawings it will be seen that the supply-chutes S S and the delivery-chutes S S of the two conveyers D and D, respectively, are located substantially in the same plane and approximately midway of the length of the car-body, so that the material descends through the several chutes in substantially the same plane, thus concentrating the resultant impacts, due to the fallingmass at the central portion of the car, which is advantageous in transferring apparatuses of this class, as it obviat-es, in a great measure, injurious vibraiion tending-to impair the accurate operations of the weighing mechanism.

As will be understood by reference to Figs. 3 and 4: of the drawings, material is delivered from the supply-car, through the supplychute S of the conveyer D, to the lower compartments or pockets of said conveyer and is thence carried in separate quantities by the successive compartments in the arc of a circle and in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, upward to the upper portion of the car and delivered into the delivery-chute S of said conveyor and is thence conducted to the weighing-machines P and P, where said material is weighed, after which it is delivered into the supply-chute S of the second conveyer D, where it is delivered into the successive compartments of said conveyer and carried upward and delivered into the delivery-chute Sof said conveyer and is thence conducted to the receiving-car R or other place of deposit, as the case may be.

As a means for closing the open ends of the successive compartments during their travel from their receiving to their discharging positions I have provided, in connection with each conveyer, a compartment-closer, which is designated in a general way by F, and which closer has its working face or closingface 35 located in the arc of a circle concentric to the axis of rotation of said conveyer and in close contact with the open ends of those ascending compartments which lie between the supply-chute S and the deliverychute S. This working face 35 preferably extends from a point in close proximity to and at one side of the supply-chute S to a point substantially in vertical alinement with the axis of rotation of the conveyer and above the lower end of the delivery-chute S of said conveyer.

In the preferred form thereof (shown most clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings) this closer is shown in the nature of an endless belt, the closing-run of which is carried over frictionrolls 36, having their axes disposed in the arc of a circle concentric to the inner edges of the annular side flanges or side walls of the conveyer and concentric to the open ends of the conveyer-compartments, the opposite run of said belt being carried over idle-rolls 37,

which, as will be hereinafter more fully described, tend to stretch the belt taut and prevent slippage thereof. These rolls 36 and 37 are shown rotatably supported on shafts 36. and 37, respectively, journaled at opposite ends in a suitable frame 30, which frame is shown of curved skeleton construction and supported at its lower end upon one of the I-beams of the framework of the apparatus. The rolls 37 are shown having their shafts j ournaled in journal-boxes 37 supported on the frame 30 for adjustment toward and away from the rolls 36, whereby any slack in the belt may be taken up.

The outer edges of the closing-run or the working face 35 of the closer are shown impinged between the rolls 36 and the inner edges of the annular side flanges or walls of the conveyer, so that during the rotation of the conveyer the closer will have a traveling movement in unison. with the conveyer.

I do not desire to limit myself to the partic ular compartment-closer shown in the drawings, as the construction and organization of said closer may be materially modified within the scope of my invention.

During the operation of the conveyers the material contained in the successive compartments thereof will travel upward and is held in place in such compartments by means of the closer, which has a traveling movement in unison with the inner face of said conveyer, and it will be seen that when the compartments arrive at their discharging or highest position the contents of such compartments will be discharged into the delivery-chute S immediately as said compartments pass the upper end of the closer F, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the material is conveyed from the supplychute S to the delivery-chute S and in separated charges or loads, which are successively delivered into said chute S and thence conducted to the weighing-machine; and it will furthermore be seen that the transferrin g of the material from the supply-car R to the receiving-car or other place of deposit R is a continuous operation and that the weighing is performed in iransz'tu.

As a simple and convenient means for supplying material to the first supply-chute S of the elevating-conveyer D I have shown in cooperative connection with the actuating mechanism of the two conveyers a power grain -shovel apparatus of the well-known Croker and Metcalf type, the construction and organization of which are so well known in the art that a detailed description thereof is deemed unnecessary for the purpose of my present invention, especially as this feature specifically constitutes no part of said invention. This apparatus is briefly described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 572,070, granted to me November 24, 1896, to which reference may be had.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. A traveling conveyer embodying a circuit of compartments open at their inner ends and closed at their sides and outer ends; a closer supported in juxtaposition to the open ends of a series of said compartments and extend ing around a portion only of the circuit; and means for imparting a traveling movement to the conveyer and closer simultaneously.

2. A rotatably-supported conveyer having a series of circumferentially-disposed compartments normally open at their inner ends and closed at their sides and outer ends, combined with a traveling closer in frictional en gagement with the inner ends of a series of said compartments and adapted for successively closing successive compartments during a predetermined portion of the movements thereof; and means for rotating the conveyer, to thereby impart a traveling movement to the closer.

3. Aperipherally-supported rotatable conveyerhavinga series of cireumferentially-disposed compartments located within' the periphery of said conveyer and open at their inner ends, combined with rotating means for said conveyer; and a compartment-closer located in juxtaposition to the inner faces of a predetermined number of said compartments and adapted for successively closing said compartments during a predetermined portion of their ascending movement.

4:. The combination, of a peripherally-supported annular conveyer divided transversely into a series of independent compartments and having a peripherally disposed toothed portion; a gear-wheel meshing with said toothed portion of the conveyer; means for driving said gear--wheel; a compartmentcloser having its working face contiguous to the inner ends of a portion of the ascending series of compartments; and a supply-chute and a delivery-chute located, respectively, below and above the axis of rotation of the conveyer and adapted the former for supplying material to, and the latter for delivering material from, the lower and upper port-ions, respectively, of the conveyer.

5. A transferring apparatus comprising a load-receiver; a vertically-disposed annular conveyer located with the upper and lower portions thereof above and below the loadreceiver and havinga series of compartments each of which is open at one end; means for rotating said conveyer; an independent compartment-closer in moving engagement with a portion of the conveyer asupply-chute having its discharge end in juxtaposition to the lower portion of said conveyer; and a delivery-chute between the load-receiver and the upper portion of said conveyer and adapted for conducting material from said conveyer to the load-receiver.

6. A transferring apparatus comprising a load-receiver; two annular oonveyers supported at opposite sides, respectively, of said receiver and adapted,one for supplying material to and the other for conveying material from, said receiver, and each conveyer having a series of compartments open at their inner ends; means for simultaneously rotating the two conveyers; and a flexible closer in frictional engagement with the normally open ends of a portion of the compartments of each conveyerand adapted to move with saidconveyer.

7-. A transferring apparatus comprising a loadreceiver; a vertically-disposed annular conveyer having a circuit of independent compartments each of which is open at the inner end and closed at the sides and outer ends; a supply-chute located with its discharge end below the axis of rotation of said conveyer and in position to convey material to the successive compartments; a delivery-chute located above said axis and in position to deliver material to the load-receiver; means located between the supply and delivery chutes and adapted for closing the open ends of the successive compartments during a portion of their traveling movements; and means for rotating said conveyer.

S. A transferring apparatus comprising a rotary conveyer having a series of compartments open at their inner ends andv closed at their sides and outer ends; a supply-chute,

and a deliveryehute located, respectively, below and above the axis of rotation of the conveyer and adapted, respectively, .for conveying material to and from said conveyer; a traveling closer located between said supply-chute and delivery-chute and adapted for retaining the material in the compartments until they arrive in juxtaposition to the delivery-chute; and means for moving the conveyer and closer simultaneously at corresponding velocities.

9. In combinatiomaperipherally-supported rotary conveyer havingaseries of annular-lydisposed compartments or pockets open at their inner ends; a transversely'disposed supply-chute havingits discharge end located above the lower compartments of the conveyer; a delivery-chute located above said supply-chute, with its receiving end below the upper compartments; a traveling closer in frictional engagement with that portion of the ascending compartments located between the supply and delivery chutes and adapted ITS for retaining the ascending compartments closed during the traveling movement thereof from the supply-chute to the delivery-chute;

and means for rotating the conveyer.

10. A transferring apparatus comprising a receptacle havinga discharger; two annular conveyors located side by side with their axes coincident and each having a series of circumferentially-disposed compartments open at their inner ends and closed at their sides and outer ends; rolls peripherally supportingsaid conveyers; means forsimultaneously rotating said conveyors; a supply-chute and a delivery-chute located, respectively, below and above the axis of each conveyer, the delivery-chute of'the first conveyer being located between the upper ends of the receptacle and conveyer and adapted for supplying material to said receptacle, and the supplychute of the second conveyer being located between the discharger of the receptacle and the lower portion of the second conveyer and being adapted for conveying material from the receptacle to said second conveyer; and a closer having its working face in moving engagement with the inner open ends of the successive ascending compartments of each conveyer and effective for closing said compartments during their traveling movements from the supply-chute to the delivery-chute.

11. A transferring apparatus of the class specified comprising a transportable carrier; two rotatable conveyers adapted for carrying material from the lower portion to the upper portion of said conveyer; supply and delivery chutes in operative relation with each conveyer; a load-receiving connector located be tween the delivery-chute of the first and the supply-chute of the second conveyer; and means for simultaneously rotating the two conveyors whereby material is transferred from the lower portion of the first conveyer to the upper portion-of the receiving-connector and is subsequently transferred therefrom to the lower portion of the second conveyer and thence carried upward and discharged into the delivery-chute of said second conveyer.

12. A transferring apparatus of the class specified comprising a transportable carrier; two peripherally-supported rotatr ble conveyers each having a series of circumferentiallydisposed compartments open, normally, at their inner ends and closed at their sides and outer ends; a load-receiver located between the two conveyers; means for supplying material to the lower portion of the first con vcyer; a chute interposed between the load-receiver and the upper portion of the first conveyer and adapted for conducting material to the upper portion of said load-receiver a supplychute for conducting material from the lower portion of the load-receiver to the second conveyer; a delivery-chute in position for conducting material away from the upperportion of said second conveyer; a traveling effective for closing the successive ascending compartments; and means for rotating the two conveyers and for imparting, sim ultaneously, a traveling movement to the closer.

13. A conveyer or transferring apparatus comprising an axially-recessed peripherallysupported rotatable drum transversely divided into a series of successive material-receiving compartments; a closer having its working face located concentric to the axis of rotation of the drum and in juxtaposition to the inner face of one section of said drum and effective forsuccessively closing the compartments during their ascending movements from the lower to their uppermost positions; and rotating mechanism in connection with said conveyer.

14. A transferringapparatus comprising a car-body; two verticallydisposed peripherally-supported annular conveyers located, respectively, at opposite sides and substantially midway between opposite ends of the car-body and embodying a circuit of com part ments open at their inner ends; a receptacle supported on the car-b0dy between the two conveyers and having receiving and discharging ends located, respectively, below and above the discharging and receiving portions of the two conveyers; a supply-chute in op erat-ive relation with the lower portion of the first conveyer; a delivery-chute in operative relation with the upper portion of said first conveyer and having its discharge end in position to discharge material into the receptacle; a supply-chute in connection with the discharge end of the receptacle and in position to convey material from said receptacle to the second conveyer; a delivery-chute in operative relation with the upper portion of said second conveyer; traveling means for closing the inner ends of successive compartments of each conveyer during the ascending movements thereof; and means for rotating the two conveyers.

15. A transferring apparatus comprising a car-body; a circuit of connected compartments supported on the car-body for rotatative movement and open at their inner ends; a traveling closer in operative relation with, and effective for successively closing,the open ends of successive ascending compartments; means for delivering material to the lowermost compartments; means for conveying material away from the uppermost compartments; and means for imparting a circuitous movement to said compartments.

16. A transferring apparatus comprehending an internal]y-channelled annulus or a11- nular conveyer having a series of separate compartments open at their inner ends, combined with a closer embodying a belt carried over friction-rolls in contact with the inner edge of a portion of said annulus; means for rotating said conveyer; a transversely-disposed supply-chute in operative relation with the lower portion of said conveyer; and a closer in connection with each conveyer and transversely-disposed delivery-chute in oper- IIO ative relation with the upper portion of said conveyer. 17. A conveyer comprising a series of compartments open at the inner ends thereof;

means for imparting movement to said compartments; and an endless belt supported With one run thereof in contact with the inner ends of a portion of the series of compartments.

18. A transferring apparatus comprising a transportable car-body; a vertically-disposed annular conveyer peripherally supported on the car-body, with the lower portion thereof below the floor-line of said car-body and with the upper portion thereof in close proximity to the roof of said car-body, and having a series of compartments that are relatively separated by transverse partitions and are normally open at their inner ends; means for rotating said conveyer; a traveling closer in operative relation with, and effective for closing, the ascending series of compartments; and a supply-chute and a delivery-chute in operative relation with the lower and upper portions, respectively, of said conveyer.

19. The combination, with acircuit of compartments supported for traveling movements and having normally open inner ends and closed sides and outer ends and with means for imparting a circuitous movement to said compartments, of a flexible traveling closer having its Working face in contact With the open ends of, and adapted to move with, a portion of the ascending series of compartments.

20. The combination, with a circuit of compartments supported for traveling movements and having normally open inner ends and with means for imparting a circuitous movement to said compartments, of a flexible closer having its Working face in contact with the open ends of a portion of the ascending series of compartments; and means for stretching the closer, to draw the Working face taut.

21. An annular conveyor supported for rotative movement and having a series of circumferentially-disposed compartments that are open at the inner ends thereof; a series of belt-supporting rolls set With their outer faces-in juxtaposition to the inner ends of the ascending compartments; 7 an endless belt having the outer or Working run thereof supported on said rolls and in bearing engagement with the inner ends of said ascending compartments; take-up rolls engaging the,

outer face of the inner run; and adjustable supports for said rolls.

FRANCIS ll. RICHARDS. Vitnesses:

FRED. J DoLn, F. N. CHASE. 

